Fastener and method of manufacture



1 3 G. BODEN 1,969,688

FASTENER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed NOV. 15. 1932 Patented Aug. 7, 1934 FASTENER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE George Boden, Waterbury, Conn, assignor to Cluett, Peabody & Co.

poration of New York Inc., Troy, N. Y., a cor- Application November 15, 1932, Serial No. 642,708

4 Claims.

This invention relates to fasteners such as pins and. shirt studs and particularly to pins of the type comprising a shank and a head formed separately and then attached together, the head preferably being in the form of a ball anchored over the unpointed end of the shank. In'the .manufacture of pins of this type it has been customary to-form the head into the shape of a sphere from sheet metal blanks having four ears which, when the blank is bent into spherical shape, abut each other along their edges to form closed slits extending from the shank approximately ninety degrees around the sphere. When so formed the ball head has various defects which the present invention seeks to overcome.

One of these defects consists in that it is difficult to shape the head in the region of the closed end of each of the aforesaid slits; and as a result of this difliculty the heads usually have protuberances in these regions. Other difiiculties result from the factthat in plating the pins after the heads are shaped and anchored on the shanks, the various cleaning, plating and washing liquids can not pass freely into the head but do seep in to some slight extent, seeping out again at inopportune times. For example, if the cleaning liquid seeps out after the washing process and prior to the plating process it prevents the plating deposit from adhering to the pin in the regions of the aforesaid slits and the cracks between the head and shank, thereby leaving these regions unplated. Inasmuch as the unplated areas readily oxidized (when using the usual base metals such as brass) they develop metallic salts which accumulate at the base of the pin head. It also frequently happens that, since the interior of the hollow head can not be adequately washed after the plating stage, some of the plating solution seeps out after the pin is finished. Both the cleaning solution and the plating solution are harmful to fabrics; and the aforesaid metallic salts stain white and lightcolored materials. Thus it is not uncommon to find stains around the openings formed by new pins used to pin up shirts and folded garments for shipment, particularly since the aforesaid seepage and oxidation-occur at the base of the pin head which seats directly against the fabric when the pin is fully inserted.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a ball head pin which is free from the aforesaid defects, which can readily be formed with a smoothly spherical head, in which the inside of the hollow head can be fully plated and completely washed, and which will to which it is applied.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pin with its shank broken off;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section, on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan. of the blank used to form the pin head;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a partially formed head; I

Figs. 6 and '7 illustrate plating and washing steps in the process of manufacture; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively side and bottom views of a shirt stud embodying the present invention.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a pin having a shank 2 and a head 3. One end of the shank is pointed and the other end is bent into ring shape as shown in Fig. 3. The head 3, which fits tightly on the ring-shaped end of the shank, comprises a hollow sphere formed from a sheet metal blank having cars which, when the blank .is shaped into spherical form around the ring-shaped end of .the shank, seat tightly against each other with their free ends seating tightly against the shank. For the particular form of head shown in Figs.' 1, 2 and 3 the blank is shaped as in Fig. 4, having four ears each of which has an end edge land lateral edges 5 which join the body of the blank in curves 6. 'After the first forming operation the blank assumes the cupped shape shown in Fig. 5. The ring-shaped end of the shank is then inserted into the partially formed head and the ears are bent inwardly until the edges 4 seat against the shank 2, conforming thereto, and the edges 5 seat against each other to form tightly closed slits, the curves 6 defining substantially circular openingsin the sides of the head just below its equatorial plane as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

After the parts are shaped and assembled as aforesaid the pins are subjected to plating and washing processes as diagrammatically indicated not stain articles in Figs. 6 and 7, where 7 and 8 represent the plating electrodes and 9 and 10 the inlet and outlet for the wash water. By virtue of the openings 6 the plating and washing liquids may pass freely to the interior of the bulbous heads, thereby thoroughly plating and washing all surfaces and avoiding damage to articles upon which the pins are subsequently used.

As an indication of other uses of the invention Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a shirt stud complating the head both exteriorly and interiorly the plating liquid having ready ingress and egress through the aforesaid spaces.

2. A fastener comprising a shank and a hollow head shaped with cars which have their free ends seated tightly against the periphery of the shank and against each other with spaces between the ears near the other ends thereof to afford ready ingress and egress of plating liquid.

'3. A fastener comprising a shank and a hollow head mounted on one end of the shank, the head having slits radiating from the shank, the opposing edges of each slitrengaging each other adjacent the shank and the head having openings at the ends of the slits remote from the shank, whereby the head may be plated both exteriorly and interiorly after the bending operations in shaping the head and mounting it on the shank.

4. A fastener comprising a shank and a hollow head mounted on one end of the shank, the head having slits radiating from the shank, the opposing edges of each slit engaging each other throughout their entire lengths, and the head having approximately'circular openings at the ends of the slits remote from the shank.

GEORGE BODEN. 

